School consolidation proposal draws lots of criticism

River Valley proposal a tough sell in Three Oaks.

River Valley proposal a tough sell in Three Oaks.

November 13, 2005|KATE SHERIDAN

A proposed $21 million school consolidation project that would close two elementary schools in River Valley School District is facing what one councilman calls "a tough, tough sell" in the village of Three Oaks. Three Oaks Village Councilman Darrell Hinman said he was "appalled" that school officials have unveiled detailed architectural drawings of a one-site facility in Chikaming Township without first seeking input from Three Oaks village officials about the plans. All seven village council members this past week agreed with Hinman's proposal to draft a resolution opposing the River Valley School Board's consolidation plan, including the proposal to close Three Oaks Elementary School, at 100 Oak St. in downtown Three Oaks. "Closing this school is about the dumbest thing I ever heard of, and I think it's going to be a tough, tough sell," Hinman said after Wednesday night's village council meeting. "There are three things that are critical to the vitality of any community and those are good businesses, good people and good schools. This school is part of the vitality of our community." Earlier this month, South Bend architects Hebard & Hebard met with the River Valley School Board and unveiled drawings of a proposed 61,000-square-foot elementary school facility on the grounds of the existing River Valley Middle/High School on Three Oaks Road in Chikaming Township. Hinman said he was furious that school officials failed to notify village officials before going public with the facilities plan. "This is our last neighborhood school," he said. "Has anyone at village hall seen anyone from the school district asking us for our feelings about this? No." Three Oaks Elementary, the last remaining public school building in Three Oaks, houses the district's preschool program as well as local youngsters in kindergarten through fifth grades. It's been tagged for closure, along with Chikaming Elementary School, in "strategic action plans" developed by teams of district volunteers who have been tackling huge budget deficits, aging facilities and declining enrollment in River Valley. The district now operates three school buildings, crossing a number of municipalities within its 90-square-mile boundaries, including the communities of Three Oaks, Sawyer, Harbert, New Troy, Union Pier and Lakeside. The facilities team reported in October that one-site schooling, at the site of the existing middle/high school, is needed to ensure the school district's survival in light of skyrocketing costs and a wiped-out savings fund emptied of more than $950,000 in the past three years. The River Valley School Board is slated to vote on the school consolidation issue and a number of other controversial cost-cutting and revenue-generating measures in December. The school district is hoping to convince voters to pay for the facilities plan with a 30-year bond issue that, if passed, could raise the bulk of the estimated $21 million needed to complete the plan. The proposal includes renovating the existing middle/high school as well as constructing the new elementary school. District officials are scheduled to meet with Michigan Department of Treasury officials on the bonding issue in early January 2006. But Hinman said he hopes the idea is derailed before then. "It's not a question of needing space, since River Valley's enrollment isn't increasing," Hinman said. "I'm just appalled. It makes no sense to me." River Valley enrollment has dropped from more than 1,200 students in 2001 to barely 900 students this year. Although the new elementary facility would have its own entrance on Warren Woods Road, Hinman said he also objected to the idea of having elementary students attend classes on the same campus as middle and high school students. "So you've got two entrances, so what?" he asked. "I don't care how many entrances you have. In the end there will be eight- and nine-year-old kids going to school with 16- and 17-year-olds. That's wrong." Councilman David Strefling called the facilities plan "ridiculous." "This is a community school," he said of Three Oaks Elementary. "If they close this school, that means every single student in the River Valley district will have to be bused. How does that save money?" River Valley School District is headquartered on Three Oaks Road and Warren Woods Road in Chikaming Township in Berrien County's southwestern corner. It was created in the 1960s with the merger of the Three Oaks and New Troy school districts, and stretches from the Indiana state line to Lake Michigan. River Valley closed its New Troy campus this year and auctioned off its contents in September. The district is selling that site and property, and is accepting proposals on the sale through Dec. 1. This month, the board also agreed to survey the 35-acre Chikaming Elementary School site and seek real estate appraisals on that property.